Why should you care about the ocean? While oceans cover over 70% of Earth’s surface area, we have explored less than 10% this vast region to date. The ocean helps regulate the planet’s temperature and weather systems while providing valuable natural resources and nourishment to us. (Research provided by NOAA)

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. Oregon State University scientists estimate a 40 percent chance of an 8.0 or larger earthquake in the Coos Bay, Oregon area during the next 50 years. Do you have an emergency kit? Visit the Red Cross website below for a list of items to include in one. Prepare at least one week of food, water, and medications in your disaster kit. And don't forget favorite toys and books for the kids!

On a given Saturday at the museum you may encounter a group of avid tinkerers in the Turbine Hall.

The local chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC 31) has had a long relationship with OMSI. For almost two decades the group has been coming to OMSI to maintain and repair the antique Oregonian Clock in the Turbine Hall mezzanine.

Members share a love of both timekeeping and community service. Some are collectors and hobbyists; others repair clocks and watches for a living.

This is a new series I’m excited to introduce to the OMSI blog! While there’s plenty to see and do at the museum, there’s a lot that people don’t know and never see. Whether it’s a program you didn’t know existed or a fun piece of OMSI history, there are plenty of stories to tell.

I’d like to thank our resident curator, Lori Erickson, for her help in digging through the OMSI archives and collections room to uncover these hidden gems.